Film and TV Technician (1957)

June /July 1957 FILM & TV TECHNICIAN 85 AS OTHERS SEE US FRED TONGE, our new Organiser, gives his impressions after his first four months with A.C.T.T. " ICH DIEN ". Were the A.C.T.T. an individual and not a corporate body, " I serve " might well be its motto. I have been asked what impressed me most on coming into the organisation, after many years with another union (the Transport Salaried Staffs Association) and long experience through Trades Councils with various unions. To me, the most striking thing is the service given to members, and the degree of consultation between management and workers. There are, of course, obvious differences between the railway industry— purely utilitarian, in many respects sadly behind the times and handicapped by lack of finance — and the film industry which is creative, artistic, and by comparison, modern. Attitude of Managements I find of particular interest the attitude of the managements in the film industry to the Union. The line of demarcation between managerial function and union activity is not so sharply drawn as it is in many other fields. This is due I think to the comprehensive agreements which have been drawn up, together with the fact that many of those in authority are members of A.C.T.T. Joint consultation is more of a reality than in any other industry with which I have come into contact. In so many industries, the union, no matter how well organised, is always the suppliant, and is debarred from discussing many subjects of vital interest to its members, on the grounds that this or that is a managerial function and not the concern of the Union. It will be appreciated that this attitude is bound to lead to frustration and is not conducive to getting the best from the people on the job. In the Railway Industry one has to contend with an attitude among the management which has its origins in the past, when workers were unorganised and consultation was unheard of. Too often, even today, managements seek to impose changes without prior discussion, and local bosses try to circumvent the provisions of national agreements. Too many of the ' higher-ups ' do not believe in Fred Tonge nationalisation of the railways and have not attempted to make it work efficiently. This attitude makes negotiation a very hard task, and calls for constant vigilance on the part of the union members, through their local departmental committees and Trade Union Branches. Impressive Speed The speed with which minor differences in the film industry are ironed out has greatly impressed me. My previous experience has been that far too often matters that should have been settled in a few moments have been delayed for weeks and even months simply because no one appeared to have the authority to reach a settlement. The attention given to applications for membership of the Union is something quite new in my experience. The old army joke " If you're warm your in ", can far too often be applied to membership of a union. If you are literate enough to sign your name, or failing this, make a cross, you become a member. This is understandable in an industry where there are large sections of unorganised workers, and where every member counts, but I find it refreshing to come into an industry where four sponsors and the blessing of the shop steward must accompany every application for membership. That the sponsors and the shop steward are required to give reasons in writing why they consider the applicant is fit to be a member of the industry and of the Union, makes it clear to the applicant that he is, by joining the A.C.T.T., expected to make his contribution both to the Union and to the industry. Room for Improvement I do not imagine, of course, that every member of A.C.T.T. is a 100 per cent trade unionist, or that all members play an active part in the Union — I am sure there is room for improvement in attendance at branch or sectional meetings, as in all other unions. Neither am I under the illusion that all employers are angels, some do attempt to pull a ' fast one ', sometimes they get away with it. The reasonably satisfactory situation is the result of the strength of the Union and the loyalty of its members. The relation between the various unions in the film industry is an amicable one, and is certainly far happier than the relations between the railway unions. Unfortunately the joint action built up during the war years had broken down and public disagreement and recriminations are not uncommon, with the resultant weakening of the Union's bargaining powers. Within the A.C.T.T. itself, there is greater cohesion between various grades; the whole crew, whether camera, sound, production, or what have you, is concerned with the ultimate result of their work. There is pride in the (Continued on page 86)